Repair/Restoration History: Destroyed by fire 1960. Replaced by Portland Mills, moved 18 miles, January 1961. Bypassed by ford in creek

Bridge History: The Dooley Station Bridge was named for the Dooley family. Joseph 0. Dooley was born in 1860, owned 4.5 acres, and farmed 100 acres on the Grass Knoll Farm. His son, Albert G. Dooley, owned 103 acres southwest of the Dooley Station Bridge.

Earlier, Purdie J. Dooley rented and farmed 159 acres nearby. Owen R. Dooley owned the land around the Dooley Station bridge site through the 1960’s, while David and Julie Dooley owned it in 1990. The railroad station and town named Dooley Station was established in 1861 when the Vandalia Railroad was built. It included a ticket office, stock pens, blacksmith shop, several homes, and a school. The Dooley Station Bridge was destroyed by fire on a December Sunday night in 1960. The fire was discovered about 9:30 by Sam Link and Joe Long. They reported a car fleeing the scene with its lights off. They ran to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Dooley to phone the Waveland and Bellmore fire departments and the Parke County Sheriff. Another incident occurred the same evening. Heavy equipment parked nearby and used in constructing a replacement bridge had been moved onto the Thorpe Ford Bridge, in an attempt to overload it.

Six young men were arrested and held in the Parke County Jail. On the following Tuesday they were arraigned before Judge Clarence J. Powel. Their case was continued to December 17 and bond was set at $2000. After the trial, four were fined $8,000 and sentenced to 104 days in jail.

They were reported to have driven to the scene and sprinkled kerosene on the bridge before setting it on fire. No reason was given for setting the fire. An interior photograph of the bridge shows that the arches were formed of six straight pieces, each about 12 feet long. Most Burr Arches were formed of steam bent .and carved arched pieces 24 feet or longer.